Bridgeport has flu vaccine, shortages elsewhere

David Hennessey, Amanda Cuda, Robert Miller and Martin Cassidy

Updated 11:24 pm, Thursday, January 10, 2013

Greenwich resident Robert Wilson in front of the Walgreens Pharmacy in Old Greenwich, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013. Wilson said he received his flu shot at Walgreens after finding out two other pharmacies in town had run out of the vaccine.
Photo: Bob Luckey

Greenwich resident Robert Wilson in front of the Walgreens Pharmacy...

Greenwich resident Robert Wilson in front of the Walgreens Pharmacy in Old Greenwich, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013. Wilson said he received his flu shot at Walgreens after finding out two other pharmacies in town had run out of the vaccine.
Photo: Bob Luckey

The CVS pharmacy in Riverside was out of flu shots Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013. Despite having signs on their stores proclaiming "Flu shots every day," at least some CVS pharmacies in Greenwich have run out of flu shots and may not be getting more until the end of the week, if not later.
Photo: Helen Neafsey

The CVS pharmacy in Cos Cob was out of flu shots Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013. Despite having signs on their stores proclaiming "Flu shots every day," at least some CVS pharmacies in Greenwich have run out of flu shots and may not be getting more until the end of the week, if not later.
Photo: Helen Neafsey

The CVS pharmacy in Cos Cob was out of flu shots Wednesday, Jan. 9,...

The CVS pharmacy in Greenwich was out of flu shots Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013. Despite having signs on their stores proclaiming "Flu shots every day," at least some CVS pharmacies in Greenwich have run out of flu shots and may not be getting more until the end of the week, if not later.
Photo: Helen Neafsey

The CVS pharmacy in Old Greenwich was out of flu shots Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013. Despite having signs on their stores proclaiming "Flu shots every day," at least some CVS pharmacies in Greenwich have run out of flu shots and may not be getting more until the end of the week, if not later.
Photo: Helen Neafsey

You might have to wait in line to roll up your sleeve for a flu shot in the Bridgeport area, but at least you'll get a chance to turn your head and look the other way.

While hospitals and some private medical practices have ample supplies, some pharmacies in southwestern Connecticut are either running low or are fresh out of flu vaccines, which are given as traditional injections or nasal-spray applications (LAIV).

The state Department of Public Health said Thursday that flu activity across the state continues to be widespread with 1,676 confirmed cases. Not even halfway through January 2013, the state has already surpassed last season's total of 1,083 cases.

As the influenza season, which usually occurs during the colder half of the year, kicks into high gear, people are looking to arm themselves against the chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains and headaches that accompany the respiratory illness.

At the Walgreens on Villa Avenue in Fairfield, pharmacy manager Judith Nwagwu said the demand for flu vaccine has built throughout this week, culminating in an "all-time high" of customers by Thursday afternoon.

"I've done more shots today than I've ever done," she said.

Nwagwu, who has been with the pharmacy for five-plus years, said that 2009 -- the year of the H1N1 pandemic -- was worse. But this is the worst year since then.

"Due to the increasing demand, I do fear that we might not have enough," she said.

Nwagwu said she's noticed an escalating anxiety among the patients coming into the pharmacy.

Wilson has heard a lot about the flu and the weary, achy people affected by it across the country. So Tuesday, Wilson decided to get vaccinated in Greenwich.

There was only one problem.

The pharmacies he checked with -- CVS on West Putnam Avenue and a second CVS on Greenwich Avenue -- were out of the vaccine.

He finally found a pharmacy that had it in stock -- the Walgreens on East Putnam Avenue in Riverside -- and was vaccinated Tuesday evening.

"I tried to get the vaccine because I had not yet gotten it, and I think it's an important thing to get," he said.

Although the West Putnam Avenue and Greenwich Avenue CVS Pharmacies in Greenwich confirmed Wednesday they were out of vaccine, the West Putnam Avenue pharmacy had some in stock Thursday. The Greenwich Avenue CVS remained out of vaccine Thursday afternoon.

Walgreens on East Putnam Avenue in Riverside had them in stock Thursday afternoon.

Still, if you're looking for a vaccination, there are places to get one.

The hospital mandates 100 percent participation in their flu vaccine program. The hospital requires its health care workers to provide reasons for not getting vaccinated if they choose not to get inoculated.

Hospital workers also provide flu clinics for more than 100 area companies, administering about 5,000 flu shots, Boldrighini said.

"We are giving out our last shot," said Monica Croteau of Rite Aid Pharmacy in Bethel.

"We do not have a lot," added a staffer at the Walgreens on Federal Road in Danbury. The staff member said the store, which had been busy administering flu vaccines all winter, saw a spike in demand within the last week as this year's flu epidemic suddenly gathered steam in late December.

However, not all chain pharmacies were seeing their supplies dwindle.

"So far, so good," said a staff worker at the CVS on Main Street in Ridgefield. The store, she said, was planning a flu shot clinic Thursday afternoon.

Dr. Michael Parry, head of infectious diseases for Stamford Hospital, said he expects the hospital's supply of flu vaccine doses to last through the remainder of flu season.

The hospital has completed its part of the annual Fight the Flu campaign, an immunization program it conducts jointly with the city of Stamford, and will continue to vaccinate any inpatients through the end of flu season in March.

"We haven't needed to order any more," Parry said.

In Stamford, recent weeks have shown that the 2012-13 flu season is on track to be a very nasty season for the flu, with 85 confirmed cases of the flu identified last week alone in the city, Parry said.

So far, the city has seen about 211 cases of confirmed flu altogether, an unusually aggressive start to the year, Parry said. Last year, Stamford saw a very mild season with only 53 confirmed cases, Parry said.

"This is a much busier season compared to last year, but it is hard to say where we might end up," Parry said.

Parry said residents who have not gotten a flu shot should strongly consider doing so, even though it takes six to eight weeks for the body to fully develop immunity in reaction to the vaccine.

"I think you will still be partially immunized and have a milder influenza than you would have if you didn't get the shot," Parry said. "We still strongly advocate getting a flu vaccine."

Steven Murphy, a doctor who practices general medicine and obesity medicine in Greenwich, said he's been getting daily phone calls requesting the vaccine, of which he has plenty, he said.

"Everyone and their brother is sick with a cough or what have you," he said. "I would say the flu is a little different this year. People are experiencing the after-effects of it longer."

Because of widespread advertising by pharmacies providing vaccines last year, and people making use of those services, Murphy believes some doctors ordered fewer vaccines this year.

Doctors can end up absorbing the cost of unused vaccines, which expire after a year, he said.

Murphy estimated that he has provided at least 2,000 flu vaccines this flu season alone.